High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 369: Chapter 38 A Small Argument About Names_1

”What about ’Salted Fish Welfare Club’?” The tip of the blue Shorthand Quill jabbed at the bottom of the letter paper. Zheng Qing shook the list in his hand, looked at the line of names crossed out on it, and lethargically called out the next name.

”I’m not a salted fish!” Zhang Ji Xin immediately slapped the table and loudly retorted.

”Neither am I!” Dylan immediately seconded.

”To name it like this... shouldn’t the club have some sort of benefits?” Xin Fat Man’s thoughts were indeed different from the others, immediately catching onto a certain detail.

”Skip it!” Zheng Qing decisively crossed out the name with a pen, refusing to answer Fat Man’s any questions.

”Next name... Terafu Club... no, no, no.” The scholarship student who chaired the meeting immediately crossed out this name, and specifically criticized, ”Dylan! We can’t always use names unauthorized by others!”

”Understood...” A nonchalant answer came from the coffin Mister Wolfman was in, but from the sound of it, his tone didn’t seem to show any sincerity in reflection.

”And Special Duties Section? What kind of mess are these names!” Zheng Qing looked at the next name on the list and felt a throbbing headache: ”Why don’t you just call it MTF...”

”If we call it MTF, we might attract the attention of those lunatics from SCP.” Zhang Ji Xin explained seriously: ”Calling it the Special Duties Section is no problem... there are at least 800, if not a thousand, organizations in the world labeled ’Special Duties Section’, totally free of any nominal risks.”

”Hmm, I remember there’s a famous Special Duties Section Five in Great Britain. What about changing ours to ’Special Duties Section Nine’?” Xin Fat Man seemed very interested in this name: ”We should add a prefix, um, can we associate our name with the Trident Sword? Trident Sword Special Duties Section Nine?”

”The Trident Sword might not mind, but the Club Union will definitely veto this name first thing.” Zhang Ji Xin shook his head in refusal, but then added, ”We can’t use the official organization of the Wizard Covenant to endorse our club... however, I think if we changed it to ’Khrusos Academy’, it would probably be alright... after all, this mysterious wizard faction has been lost in history for a long time now.”

”Plus, the name Special Duties Section Nine is a bit too grand... we don’t have that many people. Let’s make it smaller, add a subsection.” Dylan suddenly interjected: ”What do you guys think of ’Khrusos Academy Special Duties Section Nine, Demon Hunting Trio’?”

”If we add an elite squad, it would be even more perfect.” Xiao Xiao teasingly chimed in: ”Khrusos Academy Special Duties Section Nine, Demon Hunting Trio Elite Squad.”

”Are you guys serious?” The young scholarship student widened his eyes, screaming in disbelief.

The orange cat that was originally napping on a pillow gave a disgruntled meow.

The chaotic sounds in the dormitory were somewhat disturbing to it.

However, this time, the frazzled young wizards didn’t care for its thoughts. Everyone’s attention was centered on the club’s name, which had yet to be decided.

”Childish.” After remaining silent for a long time, Blue Bird finally spoke up. He only said two words, however, without further explanation. It was unclear whether he was critiquing the especially juvenile name, or Zheng Qing’s just-proclaimed question.

This left the atmosphere in the dormitory to suddenly fall into an inexplicably awkward silence.

”Of course, this name is just an option.” Xin Fat Man laughed, breaking the silence in the dormitory and asked Zheng Qing, ”What’s the next name on the list?”

”It’s so hard...it’s really too hard...when can we officially start other agendas!” Lin Guo sighed and slammed his head heavily on the desk, ”I still have classes to go to in the afternoon.”

”Since it’s so hard to start...why don’t we just call it ’Difficult-to-Start Club’, then,” Zheng Qing suggested sarcastically, ”We can make a play on words and call it ’Nankai’. What does everyone think?”

No one said anything.

The others all looked at Zheng Qing with subtle eyes.

This made the young scholarship student feel like he was a fool.

”Just a joke... you guys didn’t seriously consider it, did you?” Zheng Qing laughed nervously.

”No, no, no,” Xiao Xiao adjusted his glasses, his tone strange, ”It’s just that, we think the name you came up with is surprisingly suitable...”

”Nonsensical...” the young scholarship holder rejects his own thoughts, then he glances at the few uninteresting options listed down, decided not to continue nominating them, instead crumpled up the letter in his hand and tossed it into the dorm’s trash bin. He pointed at Doctor Xiao who had just spoken up, with an affirmative tone, ”Since I am presiding over the meeting... I thereby decree that the club’s name will be determined by Dr. Xiao! What he says it is, it will be, any objections?”

All the others shook their heads in sync, signaling their agreement.

It seems as if the whole dormitory had let out a sigh of relief.

”This is decision-making paralysis... it’s a disease that needs to be treated.” Xiao Xiao grumbled verbally, but he did not refuse this seemingly mundane task, he still held his head low, doodling in his notebook.

Only when Zheng Qing urged him several times did he raised his head unhurriedly, adjusting his glasses.

”What was the reason we formed this club?” Xiao Xiao scanned around and rephrased his question, ”Or rather, the original intention of this club... all these questions need answering, because they are all required on the club’s application form.”

”For the credit?” Xin Fat Man answered with an uncertain tone, ”Without a club, we won’t be able to participate in the school’s hunting party or earn credits...”

”That’s just your reasons.” Xiao Xiao impatiently interrupted the fat man, turning to look at the others, ”Dylan, Blue Bird, Lin Guo... even Shi Yuan who hasn’t arrived, what are their reasons for participating in this club?”

”It’s because I’m bored.” A laid back response came from Dylan’s bunk.

”I want to truly defeat a demon once.” Lin Guo clenched her small fist and swung it.

”Battle.” Blue Bird was as concised as usual.

”That’s where the problem lies.” Xiao Xiao tap on his notebook with his pen, raised his voice saying, ”Everyone is holding onto different thoughts, none with a shared goal, how can we truly form a team...”

”I’m not thinking about forming the top ten university club for the year.” Mumbled Xin Fat Man.

”Let me finish!” Doctor Xiao glared fiercely at the fat man, patted on his notebook, continuing his speech, ”While our actions might have been a bit rash, I must emphasize, founding a club in the first university is a matter of grave concern... the name we use must be in accordance with everyone’s thoughts, which is a requirement by the magical pact.”

”A magical pact?” Zheng Qing couldn’t help but interrupt once again.

”Following the description on the application materials, once the club is founded, everyone’s names will be included in an annually flower register-like magical pact, if someone’s thoughts are inconsistent with the club’s principles, his name won’t be able to be included.” Xiao Xiao, this time, didn’t flare up, instead he explained patiently.

”Therefore, we must strive towards harmony while giving allowance for differences, to find the goal everyone can agree on.”

”Hear me out!” Doctor Xiao ignored Xin Fat Man’s once again raised hand, looking at his notebook, ”Goals can be classified by size, we can first select a trait that everyone would possess, then look for the greatest common divisor.”

”For example, Lin Guo wants to defeat demons, while Blue Bird hopes to fight, so ’the military force aspect’ will be a direction for our naming.”

”But we must also consider the thoughts of other members, like Dylan who has always wanted a graceful and noble name.”

”Right right right.” A flattering voice came from inside the bunk of Mister Wolfman, ”The name must be congruent with an elegant and perfect aristocrat’s demeanor under the moon.”

A couple of gagging sounds echoed in the dormitory.

”Hence, we should select a graceful, noble, yet leaning towards the military force aspect name.” Completely unaffected, Doctor Xiao summed up, ”Speaking for myself, I am more inclined toward an unambiguously gender-neutral ’Knight Group’... any other suggestions?”

”What about my thoughts? You didn’t ask for my thoughts when naming.” Finally having found a chance, Xin Fat Man exclaimed impatiently.

It’s already good enough you can join a club,” Zhang Season Letter sarcastically retorted, ”What, you’re going to object to that?”

The fat man was left speechless all of a sudden.

”But won’t the name ’Knight Group’ be a bit vague?” Zheng Qing posited his doubts,” Just like the security agency you mentioned before, wouldn’t the name ’Knight Group’ seem a bit grandiose?”